Each month, we highlight one of our favorite embroidery techniques through our Swatch of the Month Club. As a companion to that monthly series, we have also put together a selection of projects you can create with your completed swatches. This month, we have created a beaded clutch bag, which you will need one finished swatch to complete. We created our bag using May’s beaded ruffle swatch.

SUPPLIES

Supplies for May’s Swatch of the Month (or your favorite swatch of choice)
1 – 10” x 10” 100% organic medium-weight cotton jersey panel, unembellished, for pocket
1 – 10” x 1 1/4” strip cotton jersey (cut across the grain), for rib binding
Basic sewing supplies: fabric scissors, rotary cutter, cutting mat, ruler, tailor’s chalk, needles, thread, pins.

Complete your Swatch of the Month according to the instructions – or create a swatch using your own personal design choice. Refer to Alabama Studio Sewing + Design as a resource, if you need additional guidance. 

To create a pocket for the inside of your clutch, fold your 10” x 10” square in half, wrong sides together, and iron to create a neat fold line. Unfold the ironed square. Starting at the bottom, line up the raw edge of the square with the 10” raw edge of your swatch, and stitch across the ironed line (through all layers of the pocket and swatch) using a straight stitch. The pocket should now cover the interior of the clutch body, but will not cover the portion of the swatch that will fold over for the outside flap. Fold the square in half, using your neat fold line as a guide. Press your binding in half length-wise and secure to the top of the pocket using a straight stitch; you will enclose the raw edges of pocket in the binding.  We separated our pocket into two divisions, using a straight stitch along the wall of one of the ruffles (stitching through the rib binding and the back of the clutch).

Fold the bottom 5” section of the clutch up and pin to secure. Stitch up the folded sides 5” (through all 6 layers), beginning at the bottom of the folded flap. Be sure to wrap your seams. We used outside floating seams. Fold the top of the swatch over 1” and tack at each random ruffle, to create a finished top flap.

Note: You can add crocheted, covered snaps to secure the top flap to the body of the clutch; if desired. View instructions on how to make a covered snap here.

OUR DESIGN CHOICES

Fabric – 100% organic medium-weight cotton jersey
Treatment – Beaded ruffle stripe
Button Craft thread – Navy #13
Bead type – Chop
Bead color – Dark Grey
Seams – Outside floating
Knots – Inside